Zama American High School students (left to right) Jennie Rice, Annette Thomas and Maggie Swift help prepare the "butcher shop" as part of the Zama Youth Center "Die N Theater" haunted house running later this month at Camp Zama, Japan. (Courtesy of U.S. Army)
(See schedule of Halloween events at Pacific bases at end of story)
Camp Zama’s Youth Center is creating a twist on dinner and a movie with its “Die N Theater” event in honor of the spookiest time of year.
Visitors to the base Music Theater Workshop — itself a scary old building — first will “feast” on devilish delicacies, or at least experience what the creative Youth Center minds envisioned as the most horrific menu imaginable.
Then a tour guide will lead visitors into the theater — the haunted house — where Zama American High School drama students will be waiting, dressed as circus freaks, madmen, the walking dead and characters from the most memorable horror flicks, according to Robert Chance, the center’s lead program assistant.
He believes the event will be “bigger and a whole lot better than last year,” when the haunted house featured body parts and even a smelly sewer room.
The Youth Center staff comes up with the event theme each year and the teens design and bring it to life.
“They help make it more lively,” Chance said.
The event backdrop is one of the oldest buildings on base. The volunteers spent most of the three weeks setting up, working in the dark to make sure they achieved the best effects.
“It was hard to get them in there sometimes because it’s so gloomy,” Chance said.
Halloween events at Pacific basesHere are the haunted houses and Halloween events planned at U.S. military bases across Japan:
Yokosuka Naval Base
Running Scared Halloween Fun Walk, 6 p.m. Oct. 30 in front of Thew Gym. A walk along the seawall with treats at each station, followed by a costume contest. Registration at 5 p.m. Call DSN 241-4486 for details.
Negishi Housing Area, Yokohama
¶ Running Scared Halloween Fun Walk, 5:30 p.m. Oct. 30 in Negishi Community Support Complex. Free eerie suspense walk to “extraordinary architectural sites” including one of Yokohama’s oldest cemeteries. Register by Monday for a free T-shirt. Call DSN 242-4120 or 045-281-4120 for information.
¶ Haunted House: Oct. 31, 6 to 9 p.m. at Negishi Gym. Open to all SOFA ID cardholders and sponsored guests. 242-4120 or 045-281-4120. $2 per person
Ikego Housing Area, Zushi city
Haunted Forest in Ikego West Valley Campground: 6-10 p.m. Oct. 27-28. A guided walk to a Samurai burial ground, which some say is haunted. Also a family fall festival. Call DSN 243-5542 for information.
Naval Air Facility Atsugi
Seabee Club Haunted House: 6-9 p.m. Oct. 27-31, $3, in the vacant building near the video store. Proceeds go to raise funds for the club.
Sasebo Naval Base
Running Scared Halloween Fun Walk: 5:30 p.m. Oct. 30 at the new Fleet Fitness Complex. Open to anyone. Walk includes scary monsters and trick-or-treat candy stops. Participants will receive a free glow stick. Prizes are to be awarded for best costumes in several categories and age group divisions, including two divisions for adults. Call DSN 252-1803. (Due to construction at the Hario Fitness Center, the base will not hold its annual haunted house this year).
Yokota Air Base
¶ Natatorium Spooky Splash: 6:30-9 p.m. Oct. 27, $5 for children ages 3-10, $7 for ages 11 and older.
¶ Halloween Costume Party and Contest: 9 p.m. Oct. 27 at the Enlisted Club. Free for members, $10 for non-members.
¶ Haunted House: 6-8 p.m. Oct. 27-28, Tomodachi Lanes. Free but children under age 12 need an adult escort.
¶ Teen Center Haunted House: 6-9 p.m. Oct. 27-28. Cost, $3. The house will be open 6-7 p.m. for children ages 6-8 and 7-9 p.m. for ages 9 and older.
¶ Tama Hills Halloween Party: 9 p.m.-3 a.m. Oct. 28 at the Hillcrest Lounge. Free.
¶ Kids Halloween Party: 5:30-8 p.m. Oct. 31 at the Officers Club. Haunted House, games, contests and prizes. Open to all ranks. For members, $7.95; members’ children under age 12, free. For non-members, $9.95; non-members’ children under age 12, $5.
Misawa Air Base
The Haunted Woods: 4-9 p.m. Oct 30-31 next to building 1335 and the Boy Scouts building. Sponsored by the Army 403rd Military Intelligence Detachment. For more information, call DSN 226-9272.
Camp Zama
“Die N Theater:” 6-10 p.m. Oct. 27-28 and 31, Camp Zama Music Theater Workshop. Last tickets sold at 9 p.m. $3 for those 13 and older; $1.50 for those 12 and younger. Younger children may visit the kids areas outside, designed to create the Halloween spirit without being too scary. Call DSN 263-4500 for more information.
Iwakuni Marine Corps Air Station
¶ MWSS 171 Haunted House: From 3:30-7 p.m. Oct. 27, three free haunted houses will be set up in the Marine Wing Support Squadron 171 headquarters, Building 124.
¶ MALS-12 Haunted House: From 7-10 p.m. Oct. 27-28 in the building next to Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 12 Headquarters. $1 (or 100 yen) for children 9 and younger; $2.50 (or 300 yen) for children ages 10 and older. Call DSN 253-3144 for more information.
¶ Kids’ costume party and contest: 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 28 at the MAC Dome.
¶ “Rocky Horror Picture Show”: midnight Oct. 28 at Sakura Theater. Free.
— Juliana Gittler
